Chris Stapleton is putting his own spin on a Phil Collins classic.
The country-rock superstar recorded his own rendition of Collins’ 1981 classic “In the Air Tonight” to be the new anthem for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”
Stapleton posted a short teaser video featuring his cover of the song, which features rapper Snoop Dogg and drummer extraordinaire Cindy Blackman Santana, Sept. 18 on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
The video shows the eight-time Grammy winner wearing a cowboy hat and trenchcoat. Sounding eerily like Collins, Stapleton belts out the song’s lyrics, which tell the story of a man seething with fury after a betrayal.
Snoop Dogg is seen pulling up in a vintage convertible while Blackman Santana, who’s laid down percussion for the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Joss Stone and late jazz great Pharaoh Sanders, is behind a drum set banging out the song’s instantly recognizable beats.
A fuller version of the song, complete with Snoop’s “football-centric verses,” debuts before two “Monday Night Football” games on Sept. 18: New Orleans Saints-Carolina Panthers on ESPN at 7:15 p.m. ET and Cleveland Browns-Pittsburgh Steelers on ABC at 8:15 p.m. ET.
The broadcast’s iconic instrumental theme song, “Heavy Action,” will play immediately afterward.
The show’s opening sequence will also include NFL stars, game highlights and “dramatic moments intercut with dramatic performances” from all three musical artists, ESPN said.
NFL players have long cited “In the Air Tonight” as the perfect song to help them mentally prepare for a game, according to ESPN.
Pittsburgh Steelers legend Hines Ward, a two-time Super Bowl champ, discussed Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin playing Collins’ hit the night before the 2009 Super Bowl in an ESPN feature about the song.
“It was fascinating to me to see how one song could get you in that mode to go out there and just kick some tail,” said Ward.
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin said in the same feature, “I don’t care if you are the home team, the away team, you are hearing that song no matter what (before the game).”
Stapleton, Snoop Dogg and Blackman Santana aren’t the only recording artists contributing music to “Monday Night Football” this season. Timbaland and Justin Timberlake will curate music for “Monday Night Football” promotional spots, live telecasts and pregame shows for seven weeks this season.
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